IMPORTANT - IF SERIOUS ABOUT THE ROLE, PLEASE BE SURE TO FILL OUT THE APPLICATION IN THE LINK AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS DESCRIPTION.
The Dispatch role is primarily responsible for:
- Routing Emergency communication
- Tracking Incidents
- Coordinating concert day milestones such as opening and closing procedures
Organizational Profile
Founded in 1938, Stern Grove Festival is an admission-free summer performing arts festival in San Francisco. Now entering its 88th season, the Festival draws over 100,000 people during its ten-week series of world class performances in the outdoor setting of Sigmund Stern Grove. Past seasons have included performing artists from around the world, including The Flaming Lips, Bob Moses, Chaka Khan, San Francisco Symphony, Kool & the Gang, Los Lobos, Smokey Robinson, Ziggy Marley, Carlos Santana, Allen Stone, and Janelle Monae.
As a cultural cornerstone of the Bay Area, Stern Grove Festival remains committed to making music accessible to all while celebrating artistic excellence and community connection. We strongly encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences.
Leadership Standards
The festival seeks to be a world class leadership organization and each staff member is expected to embody, execute, and promote core standards of excellence: Good Character, Skill, Experience, Learning Mindset, and Composure.
Reporting Relationships
Dispatch reports directly to the Operations Manager. Dispatch works closely with the Perimeter, Safety, Ticket, House, Bar, Security, and Medical Managers and teams as well as Operations Staff.
Position Description
Stern Grove Festival’s Dispatch serves as a central communication and reporting hub to coordinate the Festival's response to any incident requiring multiple teams. This includes Medical, Safety, and Security incidents as well as major daily milestones.
Dispatch will use two radio’s, scripts, and checklists to coordinate our response plans. Dispatch will also use the forms to create reports of these incidents with the ability to track open incidents to ensure we close loops.
Must be available every Sunday: May 18, 2025 - August 17, 2025 (except Memorial Day Weekend)
Must be available Saturday August 16th
4 hours for Leadership Symposium
8-10 hours per day on concert days
General Duties
- Coordinate response to Medical, Safety, and Security incidents
- Communicate clearly and effectively to bring about incident resolution.
- Attend pre-season orientation to learn about the organization's culture, understand the OS’s role in producing the Festival, get hands-on experience with equipment, and participate in venue safety drills.
- Adhere to SGFA approved policies, protocols, and procedures to ensure high standards are upheld in regards to staff professionalism and performance
- Articulate and embody the Festival’s mission
Personal Characteristics
- Excellent communication skills and collaborative work ethic.
- Capability and comfort being in large crowds of people.
- Possess the capacity to handle stressful situations with diplomacy and tact.
- Able to work efficiently in an organized and detailed fashion.
- Ability to adhere to SGFA policies, protocols and procedures.
- Able to maintain self-assurance and control during the concert day.
- Understanding of your own personal limits and ability to articulate those limits to your supervisor.
- Experience is required and a good attitude and excellent work ethic is a must.
- Working knowledge of security standards, crowd control practices, crisis intervention, emergency procedures, and first aid
- Ability to judge rapidly changing conditions and make quick decisions while adhering to SGFA guidelines
- Ability to maintain self-assurance and level-headedness and know when to turn to a supervisor if you cannot perform the job duties
- Have a great sense of humor and maintain dedication to SGFA mission
Physical Requirements
Listening and speaking ability is required. In a typical work day the employee will be interacting with many people and they must have the ability to hear and clearly express their ideas with spoken words.
If you meet some of the qualifications but not all, we encourage you to apply. We believe diverse experiences and perspectives strengthen our organization.
Work Environment / Physical Demands
The work environment characteristics and the physical demands described here are representative of those an employee encounters while successfully performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Occasionally sound levels may exceed 100 db. All efforts will be made to protect employee’s hearing.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by the incumbent in this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills.
Locations
Sigmund Stern Grove, 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard, San Francisco
Compensation
Starting at $25 and commensurate with experience.
How to Apply
Please apply on this application here: https://form.jotform.com/250753922570458
Email
If you have any questions, please email jobs@sterngrove.org
EEO Statement
SGFA provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, SGFA complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, leaves of absence, compensation and training. SGFA expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status.
